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Message no. 1
From: shadowrn@*********.com (hier-soir)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Mon Apr 15 17:45:01 2002
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So, as I read through SR3's Cyberware gear (p.296) chapter now, I find many hazy and
unclear moments there. I'll give ya some questions from which I hope you'll help me out.

First, a thing about skillsofts:
1.In chipjack's description I read: "This specialized type of datajack allows the
user to mentally access datasofts and knowsofts" (p.298). So if one has a chipjack
and slot a datasoft in it, can he/she read what's on it just like through dispaly/image
link, but without one? As the book says: (p.295) "Datasofts can be accessed with a
chipjack, display link OR image link". So it means that I don't have to have a
display link to have a window in my eye pop out and display what's in the soft? Or maybe I
just "know" somehow and I can tell what's the data in that datasoft about, but I
can't directly read it until I install myself a display/image link??
hope you understood that ;)
and
2.This is rather technical one. I'm just curious how exactly skillsofts look like; When
the book says about "piping a soft through a datajack" (p.295,298) I'm a bit
confused, because the the book states that chipjack is a device, in which you insert
datasofts, knowsofts or activesofts. And I can't insert a soft in a datajack? So, does the
soft have a plug directly sticking out of its body, so that when I slot a soft in my head
I have that small 1x3x2 cm case "protruding" out of my head? And if I had
numerous jacks in my head would it look like some undergrown cactus?
OR maybe(yet another one ;) ), does skillsoft have some kind of "line-out"
hole, in which I plug a cable/wire and then I put its another end to a datajack/chipjack?
This would force me to attach the skillsoft (or the skillsoft jukebox) somewhere on my
body near the jack, for example on my neck?, or to tape it on my chest hidden under the
shirt. What do you think?

Next one's about headware memory.
"Raw data, skill software and certain programs can be stored...". Is decker able
to use the programs stored in his headware memory when running the Matrix or he's just
limited to the ones in his cyberdeck? This would be kinda ridiculous if he couldn't, but
I'd like to be sure.
Oh, and: "Stored information may be output through a datajack, headware
communication, knowsoft link, display link or image link."
What? "Output through knowsoft link"? How would it look like??? What can I
output through knowsoft link, to what devices and how would it work??

Cyberears/eyes. I'm still not very perfect in English, so I would like you to explain me
this phrase: "Cyberears will accept additional adjustments costing up to .5 Essence
without further Essennce lost." (p.299, similar text in cybereye's description). Does
it mean that the first .5 Essence-worth adjustments are "free" , which means I
don't lose Essence for them, just the cyberear's Essence cost?

Handblades. (p.301.) "This implanted blade slips out the side of the hand opposite
the thumb, parallel to the hand". Excuse my dumbness, but I can't imagine that. If I
install the handblade in my right hand, would it slip out from the right side surface of
the hand, that is from the place between my little finger and the wrist? And what's the
exact difference between normal nad rectractable models? Because it's obvious that in both
models I have to be able to hide the blade under the skin of my arm! Or is the matter of
how quick the hiding process lasts?

As for now it would be all. Thanks in advance guys.
Maybe some question we'll appear later when I finish reading through this chapter.
hier-soir

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<DIV><FONT face="Arial CE">So, as I read through SR3's
Cyberware gear (p.296)
chapter now, I find many hazy and unclear moments there. I'll give ya some
questions from which I hope you'll help me out.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial CE"
size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>First,&nbsp;a thing about skillsofts:</DIV>
<DIV>1.In chipjack's description I read: "<EM>This specialized type of
datajack
allows the user to mentally access datasofts and knowsofts</EM>" (p.298). So if

one has a chipjack and slot a datasoft in it, can he/she <EM>read</EM> what's
on
it just like through dispaly/image link, but without one? As the book says:
(p.295) "<EM>Datasofts can be accessed with a chipjack, display link OR image
link"</EM>. So it means that I don't have to have a display link to have a
window in my eye pop out and display what's in the soft? Or maybe I just
<EM>"know" </EM>somehow and I can <EM>tell </EM>what's
the data in that datasoft
about,&nbsp;but I can't directly <EM>read </EM>it until I install myself a

display/image link??</DIV>
<DIV>hope you understood that ;)</DIV>
<DIV>and</DIV>
<DIV>2.This is rather technical one. I'm just curious how exactly skillsofts
look like; When the book says about <EM>"piping a soft through a datajack"

</EM>(p.295,298) I'm&nbsp;a bit&nbsp;confused, because the the book states
that
chipjack is a device, in which you <EM>insert</EM> datasofts, knowsofts or
activesofts. And I can't insert a soft&nbsp;in a datajack? So, does the soft
have a plug directly&nbsp;sticking out&nbsp;of its body, so that when I
slot&nbsp;a soft&nbsp;in my head I have that small 1x3x2 cm case
"protruding"
out of my head? And if I had numerous jacks in my head would&nbsp;it look like
some undergrown cactus?</DIV>
<DIV>OR maybe(yet another one ;) ), does skillsoft have&nbsp;some kind of
&nbsp;"line-out" hole, in which&nbsp;I plug a cable/wire and then I
put&nbsp;its
another end to a datajack/chipjack? This would force me to attach the skillsoft
(or the skillsoft jukebox) somewhere on my body near the jack, for example on my
neck?, or to tape it on my chest hidden&nbsp;under the shirt. What do you
think?</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Next one's about headware memory.</DIV>
<DIV><EM>"Raw data, skill software and certain programs can be
stored..."</EM>.
Is decker able to use the programs stored in his headware memory&nbsp;when
running&nbsp;the Matrix or he's just limited to the ones in his cyberdeck? This
would be kinda ridiculous if he couldn't, but I'd like to be sure.</DIV>
<DIV>Oh, and: <EM>"Stored information may be output through a datajack,
headware
communication, knowsoft link, display link or image link."</EM></DIV>
<DIV>What? "Output through knowsoft link"? How would it look like??? What
can I
output through knowsoft link, to what devices and how would it work??</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Cyberears/eyes. I'm still not very perfect&nbsp;in English, so I would like

you to explain me this phrase: <EM>"Cyberears will accept additional
adjustments
costing up to .5 Essence without further Essennce lost." </EM>(p.299, similar
text in cybereye's description). Does it mean that the first .5 Essence-worth
adjustments are "free" , which means I don't lose Essence for them, just the
cyberear's Essence cost?</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial CE"
size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Handblades. (p.301.) <EM>"This implanted blade slips out the side of
the
hand opposite the thumb, parallel to the hand"</EM>. Excuse my dumbness, but I
can't imagine that. If I install the handblade in my right hand, would it slip
out from the right side surface of the hand, that is from the place between my
little finger and the wrist? And what's the exact difference between normal nad
rectractable models? Because it's obvious that in both models I have to be able
to hide the blade under the skin of my arm! Or is the matter of how quick the
hiding process lasts?</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>As for now it would be all. Thanks in advance guys.</DIV>
<DIV>Maybe some question we'll appear later when I finish reading through this
chapter.</DIV>
<DIV>hier-soir</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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Message no. 2
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Gurth)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Tue Apr 16 05:40:07 2002
According to hier-soir, on Mon, 15 Apr 2002 the word on the street was...

> So, as I read through SR3's Cyberware gear (p.296) chapter now, I find
> many hazy and unclear moments there. I'll give ya some questions from
> which I hope you'll help me out.

Not a problem.

> 1.In chipjack's description I read: "This specialized type of datajack
> allows the user to mentally access datasofts and knowsofts" (p.298). So
> if one has a chipjack and slot a datasoft in it, can he/she read what's
> on it just like through dispaly/image link, but without one? As the book
> says: (p.295) "Datasofts can be accessed with a chipjack, display link OR
> image link". So it means that I don't have to have a display link to have
> a window in my eye pop out and display what's in the soft? Or maybe I
> just "know" somehow and I can tell what's the data in that datasoft
> about, but I can't directly read it until I install myself a
> display/image link?? hope you understood that ;)

If you put a datasoft into a chipjack, IMHO, you "know" what's on the chip
but you won't be able to read/display it in your field of vision. It'd be
much like remembering stuff you actually learned yourself. A display link
lets you _read_ textual data, and an image link is similar but can also
show images, and if you have one of these you would be able to get the
literal data off the chip. They're also necessary if you want to work with
data in headware memory rather than on a datasoft.

> 2.This is rather technical one. I'm just curious how exactly skillsofts
> look like; When the book says about "piping a soft through a datajack"
> (p.295,298) I'm a bit confused, because the the book states that chipjack
> is a device, in which you insert datasofts, knowsofts or activesofts. And
> I can't insert a soft in a datajack?

The SR rules have always been hazy on this, but common sense (to me,
anyway) says you can't put a chip directly into a datajack. The reason is
simple: a chip is not shaped like a plug. It would be like trying to shove
a SmartMedia card into a USB port on your computer...

Which is why I've for a long time made adaptors available in my game: some
device you plug into your datajack, and into the other side goes the chip.
To stick with the previous analogy, this would be a SmartMedia reader that
plugs into a USB port.

> Next one's about headware memory.
> "Raw data, skill software and certain programs can be stored...". Is
> decker able to use the programs stored in his headware memory when
> running the Matrix or he's just limited to the ones in his cyberdeck?

I'd say headware memory can be used as offline storage, but not as spare
active or storage memory for a cyberdeck.

> This would be kinda ridiculous if he couldn't, but I'd like to be sure.
> Oh, and: "Stored information may be output through a datajack, headware
> communication, knowsoft link, display link or image link." What? "Output
> through knowsoft link"? How would it look like??? What can I output
> through knowsoft link, to what devices and how would it work??

Best to ignore that bit, if you ask me. One thing you have to remember is
that many FASA folks don't seem to have known all that much about how
things work in the real world, so you end up with these kinds of fudges :)

> Cyberears/eyes. I'm still not very perfect in English, so I would like
> you to explain me this phrase: "Cyberears will accept additional
> adjustments costing up to .5 Essence without further Essennce lost."
> (p.299, similar text in cybereye's description). Does it mean that the
> first .5 Essence-worth adjustments are "free" , which means I don't lose
> Essence for them, just the cyberear's Essence cost?

Yes, it does. If you have cyberears, you can install up to 0.5 Essence in
cyberear accessories without it costing you any Essence.

> Handblades. (p.301.) "This implanted blade slips out the side of the hand
> opposite the thumb, parallel to the hand". Excuse my dumbness, but I
> can't imagine that. If I install the handblade in my right hand, would it
> slip out from the right side surface of the hand, that is from the place
> between my little finger and the wrist? And what's the exact difference
> between normal nad rectractable models? Because it's obvious that in both
> models I have to be able to hide the blade under the skin of my arm! Or
> is the matter of how quick the hiding process lasts?

There's an illustration of the hand blade in the second-edition sourcebook,
Cybertechnology. Going by that, it appears to be anchored at the base of
your little finger, and folds backwards so that, when it's retracted, it
points toward your wrist. (I hope that's clear enough to picture it for
yourself -- I don't think drawing it in ASCII art will be easy.) The
non-retractable model is permanently extended: you are always walking
around with a knife strapped below your little finger. Quite why any of the
non-retractable blades (incl. hand razors and spurs) were ever included, I
can't imagine...

But my main problem with this thing is that I can't imagine how on earth a
retractable model will fit... It's not as if there's a lot of spare room in
a hand.

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how come I'm not surprised? :) for future posts to the ShadowRN list.
Thanks.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Dat is de kip voor het ei spannen.
-> NAGEE Editor * ShadowRN GridSec * Triangle Virtuoso <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://plastic.dumpshock.com <-

GC3.12: GAT/! d- s:- !a>? C++@ UL+ P(+) L++ E W--(++) N o? K w(--) O
V? PS+ PE@ Y PGP- t@ 5++ X(+) R+++$ tv+(++) b++@ DI- D+ G+ e h! !r y?
Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998
Message no. 3
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Lone Eagle)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Tue Apr 16 05:55:01 2002
>From: "hier-soir" <hier-soir@**.pl>1.

I'm sure that by the time I've replied you'll already have been lambasted by
Gurth for the HTML posting so I'm not going to mention it. (Doh! I bet that
counts as mentioning it!)

>In chipjack's description I read: "This specialized type of datajack
> >allows the user to mentally access datasofts and knowsofts" (p.298). >So
>if one has a chipjack and slot a datasoft in it, can he/she read >what's on
>it just like through dispaly/image link, but without one? As >the book
>says: (p.295)

Data softs are effectively like an encyclopaedia entry, just a text file
with perhaps some embedded images. They must therefore be read (although the
title will probably be printed on the chip itself) so a display link or
image link is needed, activesofts bypass the brain in effect so no
image/display link is required for them.


>2.This is rather technical one. I'm just curious how exactly >skillsofts
>look like

I've always envisioned a skillsoft chip as looking exactly like it sounds, a
computer chip, loads of "legs" so it can't fit a datajack (which I've always
seen as similar to a large headphone jack socket). Some of the art in the
books does show people who do look like overgrown cacti.


>Next one's about headware memory. "Raw data, skill software and certain
>programs can be stored...". Is >decker able to use the programs stored in
>his headware memory when >running the Matrix or he's just limited to the
>ones in his cyberdeck?

Headware memory stores utilities as an extra bit of storage memory, it isn't
useable as additional active memory but it does give you more options.


>Cyberears/eyes. I'm still not very perfect in English, so I would like >you
>to explain me this phrase: "Cyberears will accept additional >adjustments
>costing up to .5 Essence without further Essennce lost." >(p.299, similar
>text in cybereye's description). Does it mean that the >first .5
>Essence-worth adjustments are "free" , which means I don't >lose Essence
>for them, just the cyberear's Essence cost?

Yes. Putting in some basic image enhancement systems is no more traumatic to
your essence than putting the eyes in in the first place.

>Handblades. (p.301.) "This implanted blade slips out the side of the >hand
>opposite the thumb, parallel to the hand". Excuse my dumbness, >but I can't
>imagine that. If I install the handblade in my right hand, >would it slip
>out from the right side surface of the hand, that is >from the place
>between my little finger and the wrist? And what's the >exact difference
>between normal nad rectractable models? Because it's >obvious that in both
>models I have to be able to hide the blade under >the skin of my arm! Or is
>the matter of how quick the hiding process >lasts?

The blade sits over the area of the hand known by most martial arts as the
knife edge, the bit that is used by the old movie spies...etc for the karate
chop, as you say directly between the wrist and little finger. The
difference between retractable and not is just that, you buy the non
retractable version and you have a steel blade attached to the side of your
hand; ideal for society functions.... NOT!!




_________________________________________________________________
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Message no. 4
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Gurth)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Tue Apr 16 13:45:01 2002
According to Lone Eagle, on Tue, 16 Apr 2002 the word on the street was...

> I'm sure that by the time I've replied you'll already have been lambasted
> by Gurth for the HTML posting so I'm not going to mention it. (Doh! I bet
> that counts as mentioning it!)

I did mention it in my reply, yeah :)

> >2.This is rather technical one. I'm just curious how exactly skillsofts
> >look like
>
> I've always envisioned a skillsoft chip as looking exactly like it
> sounds, a computer chip, loads of "legs"

There's a picture of a skillsoft in Shadowtech, and if anything, it looks
much like a modern chip-card does -- like the SmartMedia I mentioned in my
post, or other, similar models such as the memory sticks Sony digital
cameras use.

> so it can't fit a datajack
> (which I've always seen as similar to a large headphone jack socket).

Same here, though if you think about it, that would never fit into
someone's skull :)

> Some of the art in the books does show people who do look like overgrown
> cacti.

Or with 5-cm-thick cables plugged into their datajacks...

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Dat is de kip voor het ei spannen.
-> NAGEE Editor * ShadowRN GridSec * Triangle Virtuoso <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://plastic.dumpshock.com <-

GC3.12: GAT/! d- s:- !a>? C++@ UL+ P(+) L++ E W--(++) N o? K w(--) O
V? PS+ PE@ Y PGP- t@ 5++ X(+) R+++$ tv+(++) b++@ DI- D+ G+ e h! !r y?
Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998
Message no. 5
From: shadowrn@*********.com (hier-soir)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Fri Apr 19 18:15:01 2002
Thanks for reply all...

From: "Gurth" <Gurth@******.nl>

>If you put a datasoft into a chipjack, IMHO, you "know" what's on the chip
>but you won't be able to read/display it in your field of vision. It'd be
>much like remembering stuff you actually learned yourself. A display link
>lets you _read_ textual data, and an image link is similar but can also
>show images, and if you have one of these you would be able to get the
>literal data off the chip. They're also necessary if you want to work with
>data in headware memory rather than on a datasoft.

Thanks ok, I undetstand that.

>> 2.This is rather technical one. I'm just curious how exactly skillsofts
>> look like; When the book says about "piping a soft through a datajack"
>> (p.295,298) I'm a bit confused, because the the book states that chipjack
>> is a device, in which you insert datasofts, knowsofts or activesofts. And
>> I can't insert a soft in a datajack?
>
>The SR rules have always been hazy on this, but common sense (to me,
>anyway) says you can't put a chip directly into a datajack. The reason is
>simple: a chip is not shaped like a plug. It would be like trying to shove
>a SmartMedia card into a USB port on your computer...
>
>Which is why I've for a long time made adaptors available in my game: some
>device you plug into your datajack, and into the other side goes the chip.
>To stick with the previous analogy, this would be a SmartMedia reader that
>plugs into a USB port.

Yes, I thought of the same thing. So did you create some tiny adapter device
which has a slot to insert the soft and then a cable to put in the
datajack?? I thought that it would be hell uncomfortable to carry e.g. when
you run (literally, such as a jogging, and in the SR-slang meaning).
You have tu put that device in your jacket's inner pocket or something....

>Yes, it does. If you have cyberears, you can install up to 0.5 Essence in
>cyberear accessories without it costing you any Essence.

Thanks.

>> Handblades. (p.301.) "This implanted blade slips out the side of the hand
>> opposite the thumb, parallel to the hand". Excuse my dumbness, but I
>> can't imagine that. If I install the handblade in my right hand, would it
>> slip out from the right side surface of the hand, that is from the place
>> between my little finger and the wrist? And what's the exact difference
>> between normal nad rectractable models? Because it's obvious that in both
>> models I have to be able to hide the blade under the skin of my arm! Or
>> is the matter of how quick the hiding process lasts?
>
>There's an illustration of the hand blade in the second-edition sourcebook,
>Cybertechnology. Going by that, it appears to be anchored at the base of
>your little finger, and folds backwards so that, when it's retracted, it
>points toward your wrist. (I hope that's clear enough to picture it for
>yourself -- I don't think drawing it in ASCII art will be easy.) The
>non-retractable model is permanently extended: you are always walking
>around with a knife strapped below your little finger. Quite why any of the
>non-retractable blades (incl. hand razors and spurs) were ever included, I
>can't imagine...

Now it's clear. So it's rather not like you hold a knife in your hand when
trying to cut a cake or a steak, it's rather when you want to use it as a
weapon..... oh you say it was so obvious? It wasn't! ;)

>But my main problem with this thing is that I can't imagine how on earth a
>retractable model will fit... It's not as if there's a lot of spare room in
>a hand.

It could be shortened by splitting the blade into several fragments, e.g. as
the guys in circus do it.... you push the tip of the blade and it hides in
the helve. Or something like that.... For me, it wouldn't be such a problem.

>Your message was HTML-encoded; please switch off this so-called "feature"
>of your mailer (which I see is Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 --
>how come I'm not surprised? :) for future posts to the ShadowRN list.
>Thanks.

Sorry, I'm the first-timer so I didn't realise.... Now I believe
everything's OK, mailbomb me if it isn't.

Oh, and all in all, that was my first post in this list, wrote about five
days after joining. I just wanted to say hello to all you veterans (and
other newbies also).
So I'm GMing SR 2nd edition, and my team is in the middle of converting it
to 3Ed. Only rules for now, cause I think that years 2053-2060 had so many
interesting happenings and accidents that it would be a pity to just put
them into '60s and tell them what has happened in the world for now.
The only problem is that FASA (and FanPro) rushes so fast in the timeline
and most of the 2ed books are completely unavailable (at least in my poor
country in the middle of Central Europe, called The Germany-Russia
Frontier), so I'm not sure if I succeed in leading my team through all that
pre-sixties events in an interesting and thrilling way. Hope I will.

So I made my presentation rather long.... sorry all, it wasn't on purpose ;)
. And as I wanted from the beginning to do it:

Hello!
;)

hier-soir
Message no. 6
From: shadowrn@*********.com (hier-soir)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Fri Apr 19 18:25:00 2002
From: "Lone Eagle" <loneeagle2061@*******.com>
> >In chipjack's description I read: "This specialized type of datajack
> > >allows the user to mentally access datasofts and knowsofts" (p.298).
>So
> >if one has a chipjack and slot a datasoft in it, can he/she read >what's
on
> >it just like through dispaly/image link, but without one? As >the book
> >says: (p.295)
>
> Data softs are effectively like an encyclopaedia entry, just a text file
> with perhaps some embedded images. They must therefore be read (although
the
> title will probably be printed on the chip itself) so a display link or
> image link is needed,

So we have 2 problems here:
1. You have different view on this than Gurth and I don't which to follow :)
As I understood, you think that having a datasoft slotted into chipjack does
nothing for you.

2. Here my understanding of difference between knowsofts and datasofts get
blurred. If datasoft is something like an encyclopaedia entry, then I think
it's no more than e.g. an academic-skill knowsoft! And since (after Gurth's
opinion) a datasoft in the chipjack makes "know" what's in it, then I can't
see the difference between this and a similar knowsoft.
Then the datasofts would be a form of knowsofts with most often very
specialized some kind of academic-, background- , or maybe even sixth world-
or interests- knowledge skill.

> I've always envisioned a skillsoft chip as looking exactly like it sounds,
a
> computer chip, loads of "legs" so it can't fit a datajack (which I've
always
> seen as similar to a large headphone jack socket). Some of the art in the
> books does show people who do look like overgrown cacti.

So how do you solve the problem of piping a skillsoft through a datajack?

> The blade sits over the area of the hand known by most martial arts as the
> knife edge, the bit that is used by the old movie spies...etc for the
karate
> chop, as you say directly between the wrist and little finger. The
> difference between retractable and not is just that, you buy the non
> retractable version and you have a steel blade attached to the side of
your
> hand; ideal for society functions.... NOT!!

OK thanks :)
But I can't imagine what kind of idiot would install a handblade which
cannot be in any way hidden.....

hier-soir
Message no. 7
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Bira)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Fri Apr 19 19:15:01 2002
On Sat, 20 Apr 2002 00:10:36 +0200
"hier-soir" <hier-soir@**.pl> wrote:

> >Which is why I've for a long time made adaptors available in my game: some
> >device you plug into your datajack, and into the other side goes the chip.
> >To stick with the previous analogy, this would be a SmartMedia reader that
> >plugs into a USB port.
>
> Yes, I thought of the same thing. So did you create some tiny adapter device
> which has a slot to insert the soft and then a cable to put in the
> datajack?? I thought that it would be hell uncomfortable to carry e.g. when
> you run (literally, such as a jogging, and in the SR-slang meaning).
> You have tu put that device in your jacket's inner pocket or something....

It doesn't need to be that big... I imagine the adaptor as a little
plastic thingie with a datajack plug (no cable, just the plug) on one
side and a chipjack slot on the other. Plug the adaptor into your
datajack, and insert the chip into the adaptor. It might be a little
bulkier than just inserting the chip into a chipjack, but it's
definitely not as cumbersome as a "walkman"-type device.

> The only problem is that FASA (and FanPro) rushes so fast in the timeline
> and most of the 2ed books are completely unavailable (at least in my poor
> country in the middle of Central Europe, called The Germany-Russia
> Frontier), so I'm not sure if I succeed in leading my team through all that
> pre-sixties events in an interesting and thrilling way. Hope I will.

It seemed to me they did it more or less in "real time", but there's so
much stuff accumulated that it's pretty difficult to get everything :).

In any case, there are a lot of old timers in this list who have most of
these books, so you can ask us if you need help :).

--
Bira -- SysOp da Shadowland.BR
http://www.shadowlandbr.hpg.com.br
Redator de Shadowrun da RPG em Revista
http://www.rpgemrevista.f2s.com
Message no. 8
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Gurth)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Sat Apr 20 05:45:36 2002
According to hier-soir, on Sat, 20 Apr 2002 the word on the street was...

> Yes, I thought of the same thing. So did you create some tiny adapter
> device which has a slot to insert the soft and then a cable to put in the
> datajack?? I thought that it would be hell uncomfortable to carry e.g.
> when you run (literally, such as a jogging, and in the SR-slang meaning).
> You have tu put that device in your jacket's inner pocket or
> something....

My original idea was for a simple adapter: it plugs into the datajack, and
the chip goes directly into the adapter, so that everything is sticking out
of your skull. Similar to a plug that lets you put, say, a 3.5 mm headphone
plug into a 6.3 mm headphone jack on a stereo. One with a cable is also
easily possible, and I don't think it would be uncomfortable: people
apparently run around with stuff plugged into datajacks all the time. The
cable wouldn't need to be very thick anyway, because it'd be optical
instead of electrical, so a few thin strands of fiberoptic would do. If you
have long hair, the cable would probably be very hard to spot.

[hand blades]
> Now it's clear. So it's rather not like you hold a knife in your hand
> when trying to cut a cake or a steak, it's rather when you want to use it
> as a weapon..... oh you say it was so obvious? It wasn't! ;)

It's obvious to me because I know what the illustration in Cybertechnology
looks like :)

> It could be shortened by splitting the blade into several fragments, e.g.
> as the guys in circus do it.... you push the tip of the blade and it
> hides in the helve. Or something like that.... For me, it wouldn't be
> such a problem.

It's another one of those things where the easiest option is to not worry
about it. Just assume that it works, without trying to find an explanation
for _how_ it works.

> >Your message was HTML-encoded
>
> Sorry, I'm the first-timer so I didn't realise.... Now I believe
> everything's OK, mailbomb me if it isn't.

It's OK, yes. There was no HTML in this post.

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Dat is de kip voor het ei spannen.
-> NAGEE Editor * ShadowRN GridSec * Triangle Virtuoso <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://plastic.dumpshock.com <-

GC3.12: GAT/! d- s:- !a>? C++@ UL+ P(+) L++ E W--(++) N o? K w(--) O
V? PS+ PE@ Y PGP- t@ 5++ X(+) R+++$ tv+(++) b++@ DI- D+ G+ e h! !r y?
Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998
Message no. 9
From: shadowrn@*********.com (hier-soir)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Sun Apr 21 17:45:01 2002
From: "Bira" <ra002585@**.unicamp.br>
> "hier-soir" <hier-soir@**.pl> wrote:
> It doesn't need to be that big... I imagine the adaptor as a little
> plastic thingie with a datajack plug (no cable, just the plug) on one
> side and a chipjack slot on the other. Plug the adaptor into your
> datajack, and insert the chip into the adaptor. It might be a little
> bulkier than just inserting the chip into a chipjack, but it's
> definitely not as cumbersome as a "walkman"-type device.
>

It indeed would be smaller and easier to carry (I think Gurth has more or
less the same image about it), but it would also look stranger (at least in
my opinion). Like some one-third of magnetic cassette sized case sticking
out your head. Would it look strange? And it would be easier for someone to
simply tear out the adaptor in a flash when the bearer walks by, for example
in a crowd. You feel a fast feeling of violently jacking out your chipjack
from your head, immediately look around and see nobody. Noone noticed that
either, except for few people who were close to you at the moment.
So I think the cable-equipped adaptor would be safer and more popular
amognst people. Or I should implement some jack-blocking device, a small
lock or something which you wold put on a port.
And lastly, how much does adaptor cost in your game?

> > The only problem is that FASA (and FanPro) rushes so fast in the
timeline
> > and most of the 2ed books are completely unavailable (at least in my
poor
> > country in the middle of Central Europe, called The Germany-Russia
> > Frontier), so I'm not sure if I succeed in leading my team through all
that
> > pre-sixties events in an interesting and thrilling way. Hope I will.
>
> It seemed to me they did it more or less in "real time", but there's so
> much stuff accumulated that it's pretty difficult to get everything :).

And that is the problem, indeed.

> In any case, there are a lot of old timers in this list who have most of
> these books, so you can ask us if you need help :).

Thanks, I do will :)

hier-soir
Message no. 10
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Lone Eagle)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Mon Apr 22 09:00:01 2002
>From: "hier-soir" <hier-soir@**.pl>
>So we have 2 problems here:
>1. You have different view on this than Gurth and I don't which to >follow
>:)

I'd go with Gurth, he's been doing this longer than I have.

>2. Here my understanding of difference between knowsofts and datasofts >get
>blurred. If datasoft is something like an encyclopaedia entry, then I
> >think
>it's no more than e.g. an academic-skill knowsoft! And since (after
> >Gurth's
>opinion) a datasoft in the chipjack makes "know" what's in it, then I
> >can't
>see the difference between this and a similar knowsoft.
>Then the datasofts would be a form of knowsofts with most often very
>specialized some kind of academic-, background- , or maybe even sixth
> >world-
>or interests- knowledge skill.

Ok, let's say two runners need to do identical runs, the run is to sabotage
a rocket's guidance system for example. Both of them know a bit about
electronics so sabotaging the circuits is a nice subtle way of doing the
job. one has a knowsoft link (I'm pretty sure this is a peice of cyber in
SR3 but as I haven't got my books at work today I can't check so I might
have dreamt it) and slots a circuit design knowsoft, suddenly his knowsoft
link overrides part of his brain and he knows about circuit design. the
other has better contacts and manages to get hold of a datasoft of the
actual circuit he's sabotaging, he'll use his image link to "read" it and
will be able to see exactly what he's going to want to do.

A knowsoft on Major league baseball will mean you know a lot of general
stuff about baseball, a datasoft you can read off statistics...etc rules
exactly as they're written...etc but it doesn't give you an understanding.

>So how do you solve the problem of piping a skillsoft through a >datajack?

same way as a lot of other people, build an adaptor, or plug the chip into a
pocket computer, IMO people who want to change skills use a chipjack or
skillsoft jukebox while people who just want the skill to be a constant
addition to their repotoire download it to headware memory and don't need to
worry about adaptors.

>OK thanks :)
>But I can't imagine what kind of idiot would install a handblade which
>cannot be in any way hidden.....

Sprawl Gangers, anyone who doesn't have to worry too much about "official
attention" and is too short on money to afford the fancy retractable
version. and people for whom the fact that they wander around with
handblades and spurs extended constantly is good for their rep.
BTW I see a retracted handblade sitting in the forearm, popping out
underneath and then forward. a four inch blade would be enough.

blade and extender ====O Actuator


O Actuator
|
Extender |
|
|____ Blade

Whether that makes things any clearer I don't know but....


_________________________________________________________________
MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos:
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Message no. 11
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Mark M. Smith)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Mon Apr 22 11:45:01 2002
At 4/22/02 07:58 AM, you wrote:
>>From: "hier-soir" <hier-soir@**.pl>
>>So we have 2 problems here:
>>1. You have different view on this than Gurth and I don't which to >follow :)
>
>I'd go with Gurth, he's been doing this longer than I have.
>
>>2. Here my understanding of difference between knowsofts and datasofts >get
>>blurred. If datasoft is something like an encyclopaedia entry, then I >think
>>it's no more than e.g. an academic-skill knowsoft! And since (after >Gurth's
>>opinion) a datasoft in the chipjack makes "know" what's in it, then I
>can't
>>see the difference between this and a similar knowsoft.
>>Then the datasofts would be a form of knowsofts with most often very
>>specialized some kind of academic-, background- , or maybe even sixth >world-
>>or interests- knowledge skill.
>
>Ok, let's say two runners need to do identical runs, the run is to
>sabotage a rocket's guidance system for example. Both of them know a bit
>about electronics so sabotaging the circuits is a nice subtle way of doing
>the job. one has a knowsoft link (I'm pretty sure this is a peice of cyber
>in SR3 but as I haven't got my books at work today I can't check so I
>might have dreamt it) and slots a circuit design knowsoft, suddenly his
>knowsoft link overrides part of his brain and he knows about circuit
>design. the other has better contacts and manages to get hold of a
>datasoft of the actual circuit he's sabotaging, he'll use his image link
>to "read" it and will be able to see exactly what he's going to want to do.
>
>A knowsoft on Major league baseball will mean you know a lot of general
>stuff about baseball, a datasoft you can read off statistics...etc rules
>exactly as they're written...etc but it doesn't give you an understanding.

Exactly. The way I usually think of it is in terms of studying something.
You can either have studied it in advance and know it or you can have a
copy of the book but not know anything beyond that. In one form you're much
more flexible and can deal with new situations applying knowledge to
problems and such while in the other you're limited solely by what's on the
data you have.

In game terms treat the knowsoft as an actual knowledge skill, but the
datasoft as a chunk of pure data. Something written down in a file that you
can read off.


--
Mark M. Smith
belgand@**************.com

-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version: 3.12
GS/CS/AT d- s-: a-- C++++ UL++>++++ US P+>++ L++>+++ E@ W++(+++) N+++@ o+
K++ w---() O- M-- !V PS+@ PE++(+++)@ Y+@ PGP- t+ 5 X++@ R++ tv++ b+++
DI++++ D+++ G++ e>++++$ h(!) r++ y+**
------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------
Message no. 12
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Gurth)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Mon Apr 22 13:20:01 2002
According to Lone Eagle, on Mon, 22 Apr 2002 the word on the street was...

> I'd go with Gurth, he's been doing this longer than I have.

I'd go with making up your own mind, to some degree or other (0% <= degree
<= 100%) based on our ramblings :)

> >So how do you solve the problem of piping a skillsoft through a
> >datajack?
>
> same way as a lot of other people, build an adaptor, or plug the chip
> into a pocket computer

Yep, those are the solutions I'd go for, too. Much handier to plug a
skillsoft jukebox or a pocket computer into a datajack, and let it handle
the skillsoft selection, than to keep changing chips on the back of your
skull.

> >But I can't imagine what kind of idiot would install a handblade which
> >cannot be in any way hidden.....
>
> Sprawl Gangers, anyone who doesn't have to worry too much about "official
> attention" and is too short on money to afford the fancy retractable
> version. and people for whom the fact that they wander around with
> handblades and spurs extended constantly is good for their rep.

I suppose a protective cover is supplied with each non-retractable
blade/razor/etc. I mean, I wouldn't want to sleep with one of those things
strapped to my hand...

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Dat is de kip voor het ei spannen.
-> NAGEE Editor * ShadowRN GridSec * Triangle Virtuoso <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://plastic.dumpshock.com <-

GC3.12: GAT/! d- s:- !a>? C++@ UL+ P(+) L++ E W--(++) N o? K w(--) O
V? PS+ PE@ Y PGP- t@ 5++ X(+) R+++$ tv+(++) b++@ DI- D+ G+ e h! !r y?
Incubated into the First Church of the Sqooshy Ball, 21-05-1998
Message no. 13
From: shadowrn@*********.com (Bira)
Subject: [Newbie] Cyberware Questions (lots of)
Date: Tue Apr 23 01:05:01 2002
On Sun, 21 Apr 2002 23:43:52 +0200
"hier-soir" <hier-soir@**.pl> wrote:

> From: "Bira" <ra002585@**.unicamp.br>
> > "hier-soir" <hier-soir@**.pl> wrote:
> > It doesn't need to be that big... I imagine the adaptor as a little
> > plastic thingie with a datajack plug (no cable, just the plug) on one
> > side and a chipjack slot on the other. Plug the adaptor into your
> > datajack, and insert the chip into the adaptor. It might be a little
> > bulkier than just inserting the chip into a chipjack, but it's
> > definitely not as cumbersome as a "walkman"-type device.
> >
>
> It indeed would be smaller and easier to carry (I think Gurth has more or
> less the same image about it), but it would also look stranger (at least in
> my opinion). Like some one-third of magnetic cassette sized case sticking
> out your head.

It wouldn't be _that_ bulkier :). It would make the chip stick out a few
extra milimiters, half a centimeter at most. The chip itself is bigger
than the adaptor, or at least bigger than the part that stays out. It's
not any easier to tear out in a flash than the chip itself, or than a
standard jack cable. Too small to get a grip on unless you stop and do
it carefully.

> And lastly, how much does adaptor cost in your game?

This has never come up, but I wouldn't charge more than fifty nuyen for
it.


--
Bira -- SysOp da Shadowland.BR
http://www.shadowlandbr.hpg.com.br
Redator de Shadowrun da RPG em Revista
http://www.rpgemrevista.f2s.com

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